Federal Workers, Spouses Get Tuition Discount at UMD Smith School

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 14, 2017) — Federal employees and their spouses will receive a 30 percent tuition discount when they qualify for select graduate programs at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business through a new agreement with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

The FedGrant reduced tuition rate will apply to students admitted after Jan. 30, 2017, to Smith’s online, executive and part-time MBA programs or to any of the school’s specialty masters programs.

Two programs covered in the agreement are ranked in the top 10 in the United States by major publications, and a third is ranked in the top 20. These include Smith’s online MBA, ranked No. 9 by U.S. News & World Report; Smith’s executive MBA, ranked No. 10 by Financial Times; and Smith’s part-time MBA, ranked No. 19 by U.S. News & World Report.

Smith’s menu of specialty masters programs includes a Master of Finance and Master of Science in Accounting, Business Analytics, Marketing Analytics, Information Systems, Supply Chain Management, and Business and Management.

“Studying in the nation’s capital gives our students special access to public, private and social sector leaders,” Smith School Dean Alexander Triantis said. “This agreement will strengthen those ties, enhancing the two-way flow of knowledge between the university and federal agencies where important decisions get made.”

Triantis said federal employees increasingly recognize their need for business and analytical skills, which creates urgency for the new agreement. “The corporate world needs fearless leaders, and so does the public sector,” he said.

The Smith School operates facilities at four strategic locations in the Washington region, including one at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center within walking distance of the White House. Depending on the program, students may also study online or at facilities in Baltimore, College Park and Rockville, MD.

The FedGrant reduced tuition rate applies to civilian employees and their spouses who qualify for Smith School admission and receive no other tuition reductions or scholarships.

U.S. military veterans who also work for the federal government have access to different education benefits. Mike Connolly, the Smith School’s director of military and veterans affairs, works full-time to help military families understand their options.

About the U.S. Office of Personnel ManagementOPM’s mission is to Recruit, Retain and Honor a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve workforce performance.

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, specialty masters, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.